Narrative:

Aeronautical medical aspects during hotel layovers: 3 man crew laying over at sheraton fiesta, san antonio, tx, contractor using dichlor methane to strip paint from concrete balconies. I (captain) went and read buckets holding same chemical (orm - poison - persons with heart or respiratory problems consult doctor prior to using. Use masks with carbon filters). I alerted hotel management, later alerted my company's management. My feeling -- airline crews should not be around this stuff. We departed hotel for regular scheduled flight and returned to sfo. After arriving at home I called poison control. Their message 'chemical was not an immediate danger, long term neurological damage' -- the human body converts it to carbon monoxide. (In a heavy dose, flcs might have troubles.) my comments: pregnant women were working in the hotel. Pregnant flight attendants were laying over, and for certain flcs need to be alert for all manner of 'security' threats.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT ON LAYOVER AT HOTEL NOTICED WORKMEN USING VOLATILE SUBSTANCE TO STRIP PAINT OFF BALCONY. CAPT CONCERNED REF EFFECTS ON FLC.

Narrative: AERO MEDICAL ASPECTS DURING HOTEL LAYOVERS: 3 MAN CREW LAYING OVER AT SHERATON FIESTA, SAN ANTONIO, TX, CONTRACTOR USING DICHLOR METHANE TO STRIP PAINT FROM CONCRETE BALCONIES. I (CAPT) WENT AND READ BUCKETS HOLDING SAME CHEMICAL (ORM - POISON - PERSONS WITH HEART OR RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS CONSULT DOCTOR PRIOR TO USING. USE MASKS WITH CARBON FILTERS). I ALERTED HOTEL MGMNT, LATER ALERTED MY COMPANY'S MGMNT. MY FEELING -- AIRLINE CREWS SHOULD NOT BE AROUND THIS STUFF. WE DEPARTED HOTEL FOR REGULAR SCHEDULED FLT AND RETURNED TO SFO. AFTER ARRIVING AT HOME I CALLED POISON CTL. THEIR MESSAGE 'CHEMICAL WAS NOT AN IMMEDIATE DANGER, LONG TERM NEUROLOGICAL DAMAGE' -- THE HUMAN BODY CONVERTS IT TO CARBON MONOXIDE. (IN A HVY DOSE, FLCS MIGHT HAVE TROUBLES.) MY COMMENTS: PREGNANT WOMEN WERE WORKING IN THE HOTEL. PREGNANT FLT ATTENDANTS WERE LAYING OVER, AND FOR CERTAIN FLCS NEED TO BE ALERT FOR ALL MANNER OF 'SECURITY' THREATS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.